Deck 9: Formats for Letters, Memos, and E-Mail Messages

Question 1

Memos normally go to people outside of your organization and memos to people within.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

While letters and memos ordinarily don't differ in length, they always differ in writing style.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

"Format"refers primarily to the length of a document.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Letters and memos often differ in length, formality, writing style, and pattern of organization.

Question 5

Short reports always use a memo format; longer report use a letter format.

Question 6

Even if your organization has its own format for reports, you should use the ones described in your course text on the job.

Question 7

Avoid using "Dear"in a salutation for a business message because it sounds both old-fashioned and too-familiar for your audience.

Question 8

Standard salutations in business messages include "Howdy"and "Yo, Yo, Yo".

Question 9

Standard complimentary closes include "Sincerely"and "Cordially."

Question 10

In mixed punctuation, commas follow both the salutation and the close.

Question 11

The two most common kinds of letter formats are block and alternative block.

Question 12

Block and modified block are common formats for business messages.

Question 13

Subject lines are optional in memos.

Question 14

A reference line is the same thing as a subject line.

Question 15

Letterhead is printed stationery with such information as the company's name and logo.

Question 16

Letterhead should never be used for memos.

Question 17

Letterhead is standard business stationery; if it has such information as the company logo and address preprinted on it, it's called "full letterhead."

Question 18

Headings are optional in letters.

Question 19

When a letter runs more than one page, use letterhead for all of the pages.

Question 20

States with names having fewer than five letters are usually abbreviated in correspondence.

Question 21

When your letter runs two pages, you should put a heading on the second page to identify it.

Question 22

Copies of correspondence sent to another reader without telling the first are called blind copies.

Question 23

Even if you know a woman's marital status you should use "Ms."as a courtesy title unless you know she prefers something else.

Question 24

The postal abbreviation for Hawaii is HA.

Question 25

Because it is not a U.S. state, Puerto Rico does not have a postal abbreviation.

Question 26

Side margins of less than one inch are acceptable if you're trying to get the letter to one page.

Question 27

Always use letterhead for a business message.

Question 28

Use letterhead only for the first page if your letter runs to multiple pages.

Question 29

Only states with names of more than four letters are normally abbreviated.

Question 30

Use "Ms."to address female readers regardless of their titles.

Question 31

In a list of several people, you should use parallel form for the names.

Question 32

When you write a letter to Lee Hamilton but do not know that person, it would be appropriate to use the salutation "Dear Lee Hamilton."

Question 33

When you write a letter to Michael Jenkins but do not know that person, it would be appropriate to use the salutation "Dear Michael Jenkins."

Question 34

Though unusual, some organizations expect writers to sign memos rather than initial them.

Question 35

The date should always be the first thing at the top of a memo.

Question 36

Normally, memos are initialed and not signed with a full name.

Question 37

Never sign a memo; always use only your initials.

Question 38

In memos, a common format single-spaces within paragraphs and double-spaces between them.

Question 39

In mixed punctuation

A) Use a comma only after the salutation.
B) Use a comma only after the close.
C) Omit all punctuation.
D) Omit punctuation only after the salutation and close.
E) None of the above.

Question 40

An advantage to modified block format is that it

A) Is faster to use than other formats.
B) Creates a visually attractive page by moving the date and signature block over.
C) Makes it easiest to use letterhead.
D) Is preferred by most readers in business.
E) None of the above.

Question 41

Cc stands for

A) Carbon copy.
B) Computer copy.
C) Complete copy.
D) Only A and B
E) None of the above.

Question 42

You have a new customer named Ronald Schilling who you are to contact for the first time. A good salutation for your letter would be

A) Dear Ron
B) Dear Ronald
C) Dear Mr. Schilling
D) Dear Ron Schilling
E) None of the above.

Question 43

You have good news for your employees. To BEST communicate it, you should put the news in

A) The message's subject line.
B) The middle of the message.
C) The end of the message.
D) Both A and B
E) None of the above.

Question 44

The standard postal abbreviation for Ohio is

A) OH
B) OH.
C) Oh.
D) Ohio
E) None of the above.

Question 45

The standard postal abbreviation for Hawaii is

A) HI
B) HI.
C) HA
D) HA.
E) None of the above.

Question 46

Which of the following is the BEST salutation if you've never met Sandy Perrone?

A) Dear Ms. Perone.
B) Dear Sandy.
C) Dear S. Perrone.
D) Dear Sandy Perrone.
E) None of the above.

Question 47

Which is the BEST salutation for Elizabeth Kim, M.D.?

A) Dear Elizabeth Kim.
B) Dear Ms. Kim.
C) Dear Dr. Kim.
D) Dear Mrs. Kim.
E) None of the above.

Question 48

A reference line in a letter refers the reader to

A) The number used on the previous correspondence the letter refers to.
B) The invoice number which the letter is about.
C) The number of pages in the letter.
D) Either A and B
E) All of the above.

Question 49

For the second page of a letter, use

A) .5 inch to .75 inch top margins.
B) .5 inch to 1 inch top margins.
C) .75 inch to 1 inch top margins.
D) 1 inch to 1.5 inch top margins.
E) None of the above.

Question 50

What are the advantages to using block format? Modified block format?

Question 51

Explain the differences between mixed punctuation and open punctuation.

Question 52

Explain what courtesy titles you should use when you know the reader's name and gender.

Question 53

Explain how you should address the reader when you do not know the reader's name or gender.

Question 54

A _________ _________ tells the reader what the letter is about.

Question 55

_________ format is the format most frequently used for business letters.

Question 56

In a list of several people, use _________ _________ for names.

Question 57

Use _________ _________ for people outside your organization whom you don't know well.